Exceptional Volunteers for The Queen Elizabeth Hospital Honoured

Volunteers, John Garner, James Garner and Dr. Steven Grove were honoured recently with an award from the Mayor’s Civic Awards for Voluntary Service, presented for their incredible fundraising efforts on behalf of The Queen Elizabeth Hospital, King’s Lynn.

Father, John Garner, son James Garner, and their son/brother in law, Steven Grove from Tittleshall and Holt in Norfolk, decided to organise charity events in honour of Sara Garner and Sally Grove. Mrs. Garner, John’s wife and James’ mother and Sally Grove, daughter of John, sister of James, and wife of Steven Grove both lost their fight against breast cancer within months of one another in 2013. Sally, who passed away aged 50, was treated for breast cancer at The Trust for 15 years and sadly lost her battle in July 2013 – not long after her mother.

The men wanted to do something positive to honour the ladies, so have arranged a charity ball each year since their loss. To date the trio have raised over £27,000 for the hospital, which has been gifted to the chemotherapy unit of The Macmillan Cancer Care and Treatment Centre and the Breast Cancer Unit development.

The fourth event – a charity comedy gala called the Godwick Great Barn Laugh, will take place on 7 May 2016 and features well known television comedian Josh Widdicombe.

So far, the donations have been used to buy additional medical equipment and help towards the costs of the relocation and refurbishment of the Breast Cancer Unit, due to open later this year.

James Garner, managing director of Godwick Great Barn, said: “As a family we lost so much in 2013 that we were motivated to fundraise to help other local women with their treatment and battle against breast cancer and do something that would honour the two wonderful and courageous women that we lost.”

Laurence Morlaàs, Fundraising Executive at The Queen Elizabeth Hospital went on to say: “We are extremely grateful to the Garner family. They have been most generous with their time, efforts and dedication. We are delighted they have been given this award as they deserve all the thanks and recognition possible.

“It is wonderful that £22,000 of the money they have raised has been spent on the new Breast Clinic, which will benefit our patients for years to come.”